Controversial Instrumental Piece Will Not Be Allowed at Watertown School Concert
The 7-1 vote followed protests and public comment from more than 100 supporters, while board members cited the district’s controversial issues policy.
- On Tuesday, the Watertown School Board voted 7-1 to ban 'A Mother of a Revolution!' by composer Omar Thomas from the May 18 spring concert, removing an instrumental piece honoring transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson.
- School board members argued the composition violated the district's 'controversial issues' policy; Vice President Sam Ouweneel cited Johnson's alleged violent actions during the 1969 Stonewall uprising as inappropriate for public school students.
- Band director Reid LaDew followed district policy by notifying parents in October and offering an opt-out option, yet students criticized the decision at the meeting, with one telling the board, 'I know what it's like to not be accepted.'
- Over 100 people protested outside the school before the vote, while dozens spoke during public comment; Board president Laurie Hoffmann was the only dissenting vote, proposing a disclaimer instead of removal.
- The Watertown Wind Symphony will perform its May 18 concert without the piece, which students spent months preparing, as the board's decision remains final despite ongoing historical disputes about Johnson's role in the uprising.
15 Articles
15 Articles
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Wisconsin Public Radio reports: Watertown High School band students won’t be allowed to perform an instrumental piece of music tied to LGBTQ+ history at their spring concert. The Watertown school board voted 7-1 to remove “A Mother of A Revolution!” from the May 18 program, saying the piece violated the district’s controversial issues policy. Students in the Watertown Wind Symphony have been practicing the piece all school year. Board President …
“Political violence!”: Chaotic school board meeting descends into screaming match over Stonewall
The Wisconsin school board that threatened to ban a music composition because it honored an LGBTQ+ hero made good on their threat Tuesday night with a near-unanimous vote. At an emotional board meeting in Watertown that erupted in screaming matches among parents, board members, and students, members voted 7-1 to remove the symphonic work honoring Marsha P. Johnson, a prominent participant in the Stonewall Riots in 1969, from a scheduled May 18 p…
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